ter will consolidate the R&D functions of Yokohama Rubber’s tire and MB businesses in China, as well as expand R&D-related staff and testing facilities. In addition to continuing the Company’s efforts related to new product development, the new center’s operations will also include R&D on new raw materials and the cultivation of new suppliers in China. Based on Yokohama Rubber press release May 11, 2026...

News  Updated at: 2026/05/12

lity, and Innovation in Motion At the Vienna Motor Symposium 2026, MarkLines interviewed Matthias Zink, CEO Powertrain & Chassis at Schaeffler AG and President of CLEPA, about Europe’s competitiveness, technological flexibilities, and innovation in powertrain, chassis, and software technologies, drawing on Schaeffler’s perspective as a global automotive supplier. Safeguarding Europe’s Competitiveness Q1. Europe is under significant competit...

News  Updated at: 2026/05/08

METI considering measures to promote use of bioethanol derived from domestically produced biomass, stimulate investment for economic security and decarbonization Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) is considering a program to support the widespread adoption of bioethanol produced from domestically produced raw materials. The ministry plans to implement support measures, including budgetary provisions, to ensure that the price...

News  Updated at: 2026/05/08

trial Development and Renovation Organization (IDRO) held a meeting with CEOs of automotive companies and heads of specialized organizations in the automotive sector. IDRO stated that the Ministry of Industry and Trade is supporting the auto industry by easing finance issues and improving access to raw materials. Production will rise gradually, leading to a steady weekly supply of cars and easing prices. Based on multiple sources ...

News  Updated at: 2026/05/06

Nippon Steel decides to invest JPY 300 billion in U.S. Steel subsidiary On April 30, Nippon Steel Corporation (Nippon Steel) announced that it would construct a new facility to produce direct reduced iron (DRI), a raw material, at the electric arc furnace (EAF) mini mill of Big River Steel Works (BRS), a subsidiary of United States Steel Corporation (U.S. Steel), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nippon Steel. This will ensure a stable supply...

News  Updated at: 2026/05/01

Rising prices of petroleum-based raw materials have serious impact on automotive industry The prices of raw materials used in automotive parts, such as plastics and synthetic rubber, are increasing sharply. Prime Polymer Co., Ltd. (Chuo Ward, Tokyo), a joint venture between Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. and Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., which has dramatically raised the price of its polypropylene (PP) in April, will raise the price in May again. Zeon Corpor...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/27

ess by launching a pilot plant at the Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas, located on the University of São Paulo campus. The facility is designed to handle the full battery recycling process, including dismantling and grinding to obtain black mass, followed by hydrometallurgy to recover critical materials such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and graphite. The objective is to reintroduce these materials into the battery production chain,...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/25

ikry, West Bengal, with an initial capacity of 200 MTPA. The facility uses a specially engineered, high-purity coal tar pitch produced entirely in-house by Himadri, enabling a fully integrated and self-reliant manufacturing ecosystem across the anode material value chain. The technology stack, from raw material processing to finished anode material, has been indigenously developed through over a decade of in-house R&D. The process architecture is...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/24

gy to advance sustainable industrial practices. The facility, located in the Zona Franca, spans 5,000 square meters and focuses on dismantling end-of-life vehicles to recover reusable parts and components. These elements are processed, stored, and reintroduced into the market, reducing the need for raw materials and lowering the environmental impact of production. The project entered operations in December 2025 after adapting an existing facility...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/24

increasing their orders since late March due to concerns about future supply. Oil wholesalers that produce lubricants have reported that their shipments in March increased by about 30% compared to the same month last year, and their inventories have decreased significantly. In addition, imports of raw materials for high-performance base oils from the Middle East have been suspended, and businesses are responding by adjusting their inventory and ...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/20

red for the two-wheel and three-wheel electric mobility sector. Built on a modular, platform-based architecture, these solutions are developed by HELLA (Nanjing) Electronics Co. Ltd. in China and offered globally. Compared with lithium-based systems, the sodium-ion LV BMS uses more widely available raw materials and can reduce exposure to lithium price volatility. It is designed to support battery monitoring, balancing, and operation under low-te...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/17

PPG announces global price increase of up to 20% across product lines On April 15, PPG announced a global price adjustment across its paints, coatings and specialty products portfolio, reflecting the company’s desire to maintain a reliable supply of its high-performance products amid a rapidly evolving global cost environment. To ensure continuity of supply in the face of higher costs for raw materials, energy, logistics and packaging across th...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/17

Asahi Kasei President Kudo: “Naphtha supplies secured through June” On April 15, Koshiro Kudo, President of Asahi Kasei Corp. (Asahi Kasei), stated that regarding naphtha (crude gasoline), which is feared to be in short supply in Japan due to the worsening situation in the Middle East, "we have a plan in place for procurement from mid- to late June". Naphtha is a raw material for plastics and synthetic rubber. Going forward, the company will ...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/16

Japan’s Minister Akazawa expects recovery of coating thinner supply Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) Ryosei Akazawa stated following a cabinet meeting held on April 14 that the disrupted supply of coating thinner was on the way to being resolved. While supplies of toluene and xylen, raw materials of thinners derived from naphtha, were being supplied at the same level as 2025, it was confirmed that midstream companies in...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/15

Japan extends midstream naphtha inventory usage period by more than six months The Japanese government has announced that it has extended the period during which it can utilize its naphtha (crude gasoline), a basic raw material for plastics and synthetic rubber, which is feared to be in short supply due to the worsening situation in the Middle East, by doubling imports from outside the Middle East. In the future, the government plans to expand th...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/09

Germany participates in Australia's Nolans project for critical rare earth elements On April 1, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy announced that it is contributing up to EUR 50 million through its Raw Materials Fund to the Nolans Project of the Australian company Arafura Rare Earths Ltd. in the Northern Territory. The project focuses particularly on the rare earth elements neodymium and praseodymium. These are key precur...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/06

Mitsubishi Materials to collaborate with U.S. company on rare earth recycling Mitsubishi Materials Corporation (Mitsubishi Materials) announced that it has decided to make an investment in U.S.-based ReElement Technologies Corporation (ReElement) and signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on recycling rare earths and rare metals in both Japan and the U.S. ReElement engages in recycling critical mineral resources such as rare earths. ...

News  Updated at: 2026/04/03

een optimized to improve drainage performance, and the adoption of an EV-specific compound enhances braking power and grip on wet surfaces. Furthermore, improvements have been made to quietness, energy efficiency through reduced rolling resistance, and wear resistance.  The iON GT uses sustainable raw materials, such as bio-based silica and recycled PET fibers, the materials that have obtained the international certification "ISCC PLUS." In addi...

News  Updated at: 2026/03/30

tozero launches first industrial battery recycling plant in Germany On March 27, tozero, Europe’s leading battery recycling startup, announced the launch of its first industrial demonstration plant in Germany. The plant, located in Bavaria at Chemical Park Gendorf, can process over 1,500 tonnes of battery waste each year. The plant can process end-of-life batteries and recover materials like lithium, graphite, and a nickel-cobalt mix at in lar...

News  Updated at: 2026/03/27

countries, which already enjoy duty-free access to the local market. Automotive parts will also be fully liberalised. This will allow for enhanced access to the Australian passenger car and truck market of over 900,000 registrations per year. ACEA also welcomes the provisions on access to critical raw materials that are included in the agreement. ACEA supports Australia changing its luxury-car tax, as it unfairly targets European cars. The polic...

News  Updated at: 2026/03/25